Death toll in Jordan building collapse raised to 14 as search ends

AMMAN, Jordan — A final body was pulled from wreckage of a collapsed building in Jordan’s capital on Saturday as search efforts ended after four days, taking the total number killed to 14.

“Rescue teams were able to extract one dead person on Saturday, the death toll now stands at 14,” said Amer al-Sartawi, a public security spokesman.

A massive rescue operation began when the four-story residential building toppled over on Tuesday in Jabal al-Weibdeh, one of Amman’s oldest neighborhoods.

The discovery of the body, which medical sources said was a woman, means that all missing had been accounted for, marking the end to search efforts.

Jordan’s public prosecutor has ordered the arrest of three people as part of the investigation, including the building manager as well as two other people involved in renovation work, state media said.

The site of the tragedy is in the capital’s central Jabal al-Weibdeh district, known for its vibrant cultural life and home to a large number of expatriates.

On Thursday, emergency workers safely rescued a four-month-old girl from the wreckage, having sustained only minor bruises.